Sucker rod or tubing elevator



July 14, 1931.- la.A wEsToN 1,814,990

sucKER RoD oR TUBING ELEvAToR Filed'urcn 1o, 1951 2 sheetysheet l July 14, 1931.2 B. G. wEsToN 1,814,990

sucxER Ron on TUBING ELEvATon Filed March 1o, 1951 2 sheets-sheet 2 Cime Patented July 14, 1931 BURTON G. wirs'ron, orv T1msn.,

OKLAIGlVA TULSA, OKLHO'MA ASSGNCR TO HANLON-XVATERS, LNG., F

i SCKER RGB T'ENG ELEVATOR Application filed eareli 10, 3.931. Serial No. 591,598.

My invention consists in new and useful improvements in an elevator for sucker rods and well tubing and has for its object to provide a device which is simple in construction7 having a minimum number of moving parts, yet being so designed to afford maximum strength and durability.

Another object of my invention is to provide an elevator which is accurate and positive in operation and one which insures the safety of both the operator and the apparatus with which it is employed.

Heretofore rod and tubing elevators of this general character have involved a mula tiplicity of oints, pivots,

springs and latches which were subject to become worn and thus decrease the eliiciency and` lifel of the elevator, aside from adding to the initialexpense of manufacture. lt is the object of my invention to overcome these disadvantages, and to this end l have provided a device, the parts of which may be cast of durable metal and are so few in number and sturdy in structure as to greatly facilitate the accuracy and positiveness of operationA and prolong the lifetime of the device.

lNith the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention consists in the novel features herein set forth, illustrated inthe `accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed outl in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings in which numerals of like character designate similar parts throughout the several views,

Fig. 1 is aperspective viewof the device showing the jaws in open position. y

Fig. 2 is a mouth end view showing the jaws in closed position, the trunnion bearings of the supporting bail being shown in section.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a portionfof the elevator taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4; is a transverse sectional view showing the parts in the position illustratedA in Fig. 1. 4

Fig. 5 1s a similar view showing the jaws in closed position. Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 of 5.

Fig. Z is a detail of a modified form of aw, and

Fig. 8 is a further modification showing the aw member provided with transverse teeth. Y

ln the drawings, 1 represents the main body casting or housing which is substantially rectangular inshape and is provided at each of its longitudinal extremities with trunnions 2 preferably cast integral therewith, said housing being hollowed out, its front face opening into a chamber 3 adapted to receive the working parts of the device. The rcarportion of the body 1 is extended and merges into a substantially U-shaped handle et, which is internally channeled as at 5 to slidably receive and guide a substantially Ll-shaped yoke 6, the free ends of which eX- tend intothe chamber 3 in the housing 1 through a transverse slot- 7 provided in the rear wall of said chamber in direct line'with the channels 5.

S represents two gripping elements which are pivotally secured within the chamber 3 of the housing by means of suitable pins 9 lwhich extend through the opposite side walls of the housing, said gripping elements comprising parti-circular jaw members 10 which are disposed transversely of the housing, the walls of the latter being cut out as at 11 forming a mouth to accommodate the extremities of said jaw members as clearly shown in FiO'. 1. rlhe body of each gripping element is reduced adjacent the jaw member and bifurcatedas at 12, said reduced portion fitting closely between the walls of the housing and beingprovided with an aperture 13 to receive the pivot pin 9. It will be noted from Figs. 4 and 5 that the pin apertures 13 are located eccentrically in the bifurcated portions 12 of said gripping elements and that the Aends of said bifurcated portions are rounded to permit the free rotation of the gripping elements within the chamber about the pins 9.

yl`he free ends of the yoke 6 are provided with extensions 14 which, when the parts are assembled, are interposed between the bifurcations 12 of the respective gripping elements, said extensions being slotted as at 15 to i oia the jaw members,

accommodate the pins 9 and permit the required relative movement of said yoke in the channels 5, as hereinafter set forth. rlhe eX- tremities of the extensions 14 are provided with outwardly projecting shoulders or lugs 16 foren'ga-ging eccentrically mounted pins 17 which extend through the bifurcated portions of the grip-pinOr elements 8, whereby when the. yoke G is moved in a direction away from the gripping elements, said shoul-V ders 16 engage the pins 17 and rotatel the' respective gripping elements around thel pins 9 to open the jaw members. In order to facilitate the operation of the device and return the yoke 6 to its normal position when tlfieja'ws are closed, l provide sii-hable springs 18 betweenvthe inner face of the handle 4 and the yoke. y y

It will be noted that the in'n'er extremities oi the bifurcations 12 adjacent the irontfaces of the jaw members are provided with out` projecting shoulders or abutments 19 when the jaw members are in closed position as shown in Fig'. 5, are iirmly en'- gaged by "the squared `inner faces 2O of the 'yoke extensions' 11i, thus locking the jaws in Vclosed position. j y In operation, the device is grasped in the hand 'of the operator with his hand encircling the handles and the adjacent portion 'of the yoke 5. By contracting 'the hand,ltlie yoke ism'oved rearwardly in the guide channel 5, compressing the springs 18, which movement causes the .shoulders 1G toA engage tlie eccentric pins 17 extending through the bifurcated portions of the gripp'in'fr elements and the continue-d rearward movement of the; yoke causes the" squared 'laces 2O or the yoke eX- tensions 14- to eng je the abutinents 19 .aus as the said eXtensiC-ns lil move to the extreme 'rearward posi# tion permitted bythe slots 15 the 'engagement di the shoulders 1G and pins 17 rotates the gripping elements on their pivots 9 to open the .jaws as shown in Fig. 4l.

As will be seen from F land the 'adjacent iront edgesofthe jaw members -are substantially squared, while the adjacent rear Aedges are cut aiigularly with respect to'one another. ln other words, a small seg# incnt of tlielcirb'le formed the Y two jawsin is :removed iromthfe Vrear porcrossseti tionthereof, whereby when the jaws are ojfierle'l as :shown in 4, tile angula: rear edges of the jaws are br'oloht together td form a substantially unbro ci seat ifor the rod or tubing, in which position the jaws will remain even though press'urefis released from the yoke and handle, imtil forced int'o locked position by the sucker rbd to be gripped.

'neg' d rod. or tubing Y c, 1S* the operator e011@ 'device forwarilfy towards f Y thin the open ja es' the w the rod which causes the gripping elements 8 to rotate in the reverse direction on the pins 9, closing the jaws around the rod as shown in Fig. 5, whereupon the yoke is returned to its forward position by the springs 18, the squared faces 20 of the extensions 14 sliding forwardly and again 'engaging the abutments 19 .to lock the aws against rotation.

Various modiiied forms of jaws may be employed in 'connection with my invention. For example, I have shown in F ig. 7, jaw members particularly adapted ior use in connection with squared rods, the operation of the device being the same as that heretofore described. Again in F ig. 8 l have shown a jaw profvided with transverse teeth for biting engagement with a` rod or tubing.

Yyhile' I, have shown -in the drawings an eleva-t r` constructed in proportions which are 'pa tic'ularly adapted `for use in connection with suol-:1er rods, it is obvious that by clianging the proportions and providing jaws of greater diameter, my invention may be' applied to tubing elevators with equal efficiencyj bviously, an elevato-'r 'manufactured in accordance with my invention is extremely simp'le in construction a'n'd operation and by olim'inatii'ig 'a large vnumber of working parts and all but one pivotal mounting or connection for each jaw niember,'tlie possibility or" lion-finictioning and inaccuracy due to wearing parts is reduced to a minimum.

The entire structure is self-contained and held i assembled form solely by vthe pivot pins 9, wi ich renders the device extremely easy to dismantle if desired. simply removingv the pins 9, the gripping elements 8 and yoke @may be withdrawn through the open end of the chamber 8 of the housing. It will be noted that with this arrangement loss ot parts is practically impossible, for evenrthough one of the pins 9 should break, the respective gripping element will be retained in the housing by the engagement oi the shoulder 16 of the yoke and the pin 17 of the gripping element,

From the'foregoing it is believed that the construction and operation of invention may be clearly understood by those skilled in the art without further description, it be ing borne inmind that numerous changes may be'm'ade in the details of construction without 'departing'frorii the spirit of the inven-A tion asset forth fin the following claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent isi:`

1. An'. elevator ofthe character described comprising a housing, .gripping elements independently fulciumedJ'at oppositely dis'- posed points in'saidphousing and provides with jaws, an actuating member, means V'on said member operatively,but loosely engaging-said gripping elements vfor rotating the latter on their pivots to open said jaws,

2. An elevator of the character described` comprising a housing, gripping elements independently ulcrumed at oppositely disposed pointsA in said housing and provided` with jaws, an actuating member, extension on saidmeinber having means operatively, but looselyT engaging said gripping elements for rotating the latter on their pivots to open said jaws, said extension also serving to lock said jaws in closed position.

3. An elevator of the character described comprising a housing, a handle on said housing, gripping elements pivotally mounted in said housing and provided with jaws, a yoke slidably supported in said handle with its ends extending into said housing, means on the ends of said yoke operatively, but loosely engaging said gripping elements to rotate the saine on their pivots to open said jaws, said yoke ends also serving to lock said jaws in closed position.

4f. An elevator ofthe character described comprising a housing, a handle on said housf ing, gripping elements pivotally mounted in said housing and provided with jaws, a yoke slidably supported in said handle and having extensions operatively engaging said gripping elements for rotating the latter on their pivots to open said jaws, slots in said extensions einbracing the pivots of said gripping elements to permit a relative sliding movement of said yoke in rotating said gripping elements, said extensions also serving as stops to prevent the rotation of said gripping elements when said jaws are in closed position.

5. An elevator of the character described oomprisin g a housing, a handle on said housing, gripping 'elements pivotally mounted in said housing and provided with jaws, a yoke slidably supported in said handle and having extensions operatively engaging said gripping elemcnts for rotating the latter to open said jaws, said extensions being provided with slots embracing the pivots of said gripping elements to permit a relative sliding movement of said yoke in opening said jaws, abutineiits on said gripping elements, and stops on said extensions `tor engaging said abutments to prevent the rotation of said 'i gripping elements when in closed position.

6. An elevator of the character described comprising a housing, a handle on saidhousing` gripping elements pivotally mountedl in said housing and provided with jaws, a yoke slidably supported. in said handle and having extensions operatively engaging saidY gripping elements for rotating the latter to open said jaws, said extensions being provided with slots embracing the pivots of said gripping elements to permit a relative sliding movement of said yoke in opening said jaws, abutments on said gripping elements, stops -on said extensions for engaging said abutments to prevent the rotation of said gripping elements when in closed position,

otally mounted in said housing andv provided with jaws, members eccentrically disposed on said gripping elements, an actuating member, Ameans integral with said actuating member for operatively engaging said first named -inembers to rotate said gripping elements on their pivots for opening the jaws,'said means for locking said jaws in closed position.

9. An elevator of the character described, comprising a housing, gripping elements pivotally mounted in said housing and provided with jaws, abutments eccentrically kdisposed on said gripping elements, an actuating member, shoulders on said actuating member for operatively engaging said abutments to rotate said gripping elements on their pivots for opening the jaws, and means on said actuating member for locking said jaws in closed position.

lO. An elevator of the character described comprising a housing, a handle on said housing, gripping elements pivotally mounted in said housing and provided: with. jaws, said gripping elements being bifurcated at-one end, pins mounted eccentrically in said gripping elements yand extendin'gthrough said bifurcations, a yoke slidably supported in said'handle and having extensions which lie between said bifurcations, shoulders on said extensions for operatively engaging said pins to. rotate said gripping elements upon the movement of said yoke for opening the jaws, said extensions also serving as abut-ments to prevent the rotation of said gripping elements when in closed position.

11. An elevator of the character described comprising a housing, a handle on said housing, gripping elements pivotally mounted in said housing and provided with jaws, said gripping elements being bifuroated at one end, pins mounted eccentrically in said gripping elements and extending through said bifurcations, a yoke slidably supported in said handle and having extensions which lie between said bifurcations, shoulders on said extensions for operatively engaging sa-i'd pins to rotate said gripping elementsupon the movement of said yoke for opening the jaws, said extensions also serving as abutments to prevent the rotationof said gripping ele- `ments when in closed position, said eXtensions being provided with Yslots embracing said pivotsv for permitting a relative sliding movement of said yoke. y v

12. An elevator of the character described comprising a housing, a mouth in said housing, gripping elements pivotally mounted in said housing and having jaws lying in said mouth and extending transversely substantially the width of said housing, an internally channeled handle on said housing, a yoke slidably supported vin said channel and having extensions operatively engaging said gripping elements to rotate the same on their p'ivotsfor opening the jaws, said extensions also serving as abutments to lock said ja'llvs in closed position. r

13. An elevator of the character described comprising a housing, a mouth in said housing, gripping elements pivotally mounted in said housing and having jaws lying in said mouth and extending transversely substantially the width of said housing, an internally channeled handle on said housing, a yoke slidably supported in said channel and liaving'extensions operatively engaging said gripping elements to rotate the same on their pivotsrfor opening the jaws, said extensions also serving as abu'tments to lock said jaws in closed position, and spring means for normally retaining said yoke' and extensions in locking position.

14; An yelevator as claimed in Vclaim 12 wherein the radjacent forward edges of said jaws are substantially squared, the adj acent rear edges of 'said jaws being cut angularly with respect to one another and normally spacedV apart for the distance of a segment of a circle, whereby when said gripping elements are rotated on their pivots to open said jaw members, the adjacent rear edges oi" the j aws are 'brought together to form a substantial'ly unbroken seat for the member to b gripped. Y

.In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

BURTON Gr. WESTON. 

